Pariser Platz, Berlin

if you want to see it all in berlin, start here. pariser platz is smack in the middle of the most important sites in berlin. walk east -through the brandenburg gate, which used to be in the :kill zone: between east & west berlin & was built in the 1700's-into the tiergarten to see the victory column. walk north to see the new reichstag dome (open to public). walk south to the memorial for the murdered jews of europe, potsdam platz/ sony center (big purple tent, trust me- youll see it!) which is also near famous buildings like the new national gallery & the berlin philharmonie. walk southeast towards checkpoint charlie; walk east down the tree shaded unter den linden towards museum island. theres even a metro stop on unter den linden, & a starbucks/ tourist shops all right there. 2 well kept secrets: 1) you can go into the DZ bank (south side of pariser platz, in the middle)lobby & check out the crazy interior of a frank gehry building. 2) there is a tourist pit stop w/ brochures, in the south side of the gate. The best part? Everything I mentioned (except starbucks!) is FREE! bring a lunch to picnic in the tiergarten (a gigantic park in the middle of the city) and you have a cheap day in the wonderful city of berlin.